Linwood / Te Aratai College

Te Arati, formerly Linwood, College is set to open the doors to its post-quake build and, with the latest iteration of the Aldwins Road development featuring seating from local social enterprise Alloyfold, the school is changing more lives than just those it is tasked with teaching! 

Founded in 1954 as Linwood High School, it rebranded to Linwood College in 2000 before funding for a total rebuild was announced in 2015, following damage from the 2010/2011 earthquakes.  

Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga has gifted a new name to the school to mark the new chapter for Linwood College that will kick-off in 2022: Te Aratai College - The pathway to the sea. 

Tasked with rebuilding the Aldwins Road campus was construction firm Southbase, one of the leading construction companies in New Zealand and somewhat of a specialist when it comes to the construction of world-class education facilities. 

With seating playing an important role in education facilities, Southbase has partnered with local social enterprise Alloyfold to meet the seating needs for a number of its school projects, including Christchurch Boys’ High Auditorium, Te Kura O Take Kārara (Wanaka South Primary School), Linwood College and Wakatipu High School that is expected to be delivered in late 2022.

A highly experienced commercial seating provider that has been operating for more than 20 years, Alloyfold’s profits help to fund the life-changing work of Pathway Charitable Group, which provides a wide range of social support services that benefit the wider Christchurch community. 

One of the key focus areas for Pathway is around prison reintegration and supporting those who are ready and willing to make positive life changes as they rebuild their lives back in the community. The wraparound support programme includes working with them to secure employment, accommodation, counselling, addiction support services and setting them up with positive support networks. 

By working with some of our community’s most vulnerable groups, Pathway is creating profound social change, helping to break the intra-family cycle of poverty, violence and criminal activities, and helping to make the Christchurch community a stronger and safer place for everyone. 

Southbase Construction CEO Quin Henderson says that as a company which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure that helps communities thrive, partnering with an organisation which provides social support was a great fit. 

“We have worked with Pathway’s social enterprise and funding arm, Alloyfold, on several projects around the country to date,” Henderson says. 

“Their product range and quality are great, which is important for us, our clients and the end-users. This, coupled with our social procurement commitment, make it a really valuable partnership. Not only do we get Alloyfold’s innovative seating solutions, like what is currently being installed at Linwood High School, but we know that through purchasing these products we are supporting marginalised people in Christchurch.

“Alloyfold has a catchy saying ‘one chair can change a life’ and as an organisation that procures a lot of chairs, it’s empowering for us to know we are helping make a difference.”

Founding Trustee and CEO Murray Kennedy says the support of businesses such as Southbase plays no small part in the impact of the work of the wider Pathway Group, by enabling impactful, real-world change. 

“The fact that Southbase has partnered with us over the years has provided significant financial support for our social work and we have no doubt that this has enabled many people to make a fresh start and turn their lives around,” Kennedy says.  

“We know that every one of the people who receives this intensive support and a real chance at a fresh start will affect countless others with the choices they make out in the community.”